Combined pump and siphon system



Nov. 21, 1944.

P.- GAVIN COMBINED PUMP AND SIPHON SYSTEM Filed April 24, 1943 2 Shee s-Sheet l I VENTOR' Nov. 21, 1944. P.. GAVIN COMBINED PUMP AND SIPHON SYSTEM Filed April 24, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 INVENTOR ZZZ/70 6 Gad/1v.

Patented Nov. 21, 1944 ,oFFiicE This: invention v-zreiate's generally tofp-umps v and ismdapted more "particularly for-ruse where :iarge bodies of :wateror other vliquid fiiTEz'fidEPtEd to :be I moved. While theinvention isnapablepf avwide variety of uses, it is primarily for the :numpingwut aof dryiioc'ksfor work'should be carried 011L338 expeditiously ESEPDSSiblB and a .largebu-l-kof water should be moved to clear the drydock in arelativelyshonttime.

The -,present invention I particularly appropriate for this usesior itrmaybe made inirelae tively large sizes toiembodyapumpvwith an exceptiona-llylong stroke and with operating parts ed-constituted that theyl will not .be rapt torget -out oiorder nor .be damaged by the pnesenceof sand, gritror other extraneous matter. I M Speaking generally, thenin-vention comprises a relativelylonghyl-inder, the'ropposite ends of which communicatewith two inlet pipes, one end-of each of which is ada-ptedlto be submerged into the liquid to. be pumped, While beyond the cylinder the pipes are brought together to form a single dischargepipe. In each of these two pipes are The piston may, if desired; traverse the entire 1 .;length of the cylinder andis provided at its up: I positeends with anchoragesfor cables. 1 These acres-highly important from aapracticalstandpoint for; the pump "may/he serviced while it continues temperate.

Lien important features-"of thi-sinvention consists iinsthe fact'that the' systemrmayube operated to pump liquids-until rthel-iniet'. and outlet pipes of the system.:aneifuii.and,iif the-outlet leg of the water columnpassingthroughzthe system islo-nger than the inlet- 1eg.-, the-pump maythen be stopped and. 'systemxwill: operate "toisiphon oil" the I constructions therein shown are to be understood jcable rpass from the piston to and about approy priate directional rollers tolequalizers. 'Theequalizers are' connected by cables which pass over otherdirectional rollers anduare secured-intergnediate theirends to endlessxchains which 01 erate in'a continuousmanneraround spacedapa-rt sprockets. These sprockets are driven from .a suitable prime mover, .so-'that,- as the sprocket I chains travel, they reciprocate the piston so that it eanperformits pumping functions; As rthisipiston ,is efrequentl'yl-made quite large: iandeoperates jof; the-cylinder and supporttheweight Qffthfi las-illustrativegi-oniy; andlnot as definingjthe limits of the-.inuentiom:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing thelsystem of the present invention. .Fig-ure .a iragmentary, vertical section through one-of the-two inletpipes, this section .being takenin the plane of the 1ine 22 of FigureB,

Eig-ure '31s a section on the line 3--3 of Figure 2. Figure ii-is aiplan- -view of a clamp shown in section inFigHlfieB;

Figure 5 is aisection-on the line 55 of Figure 6 and shows a float controlled valve in elevation. v Figurefi is a section onthe line :6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a yertical section through the cyl- .inder and. piston therein and through the two inlet pipes and boxes .at the opp site ends of said eyiinder.

Figured-is a sectionon the line :8-8 of Figure 7. Eig-ureflisasectiononthe lines-9 of Figure '7. Figure lfl .is :a fragmentary section of one end of: the 'assembly shown in Figure 7, but illustrating ,-:a modified term of construction.

Referring to the drawings, I and i designate apair o f inlet-pipes which are adapted to project in ahorizontalcylindenxl preferably mount the piston, so that undueweanis eliminated;

permits the piston $0: he formed with packing rings which arepneumaticallymaintained incond tact withthecyl-inder wall andithe pneumatic-ele ments of the piston packi-ngy areso arranged that theymay be inflated from: the exteriorof the cyliinder "and without dismantling; the :same; The invention- :also provides ifor'athetadmissionroiduhricantiinithezsamelwayr These-considerations twin inlet plpes vfe d g-. 1.sl ge r commonesinto-the pool P ofi-liquid (to be-pumped andprorject upwardly, therefrom in substantially verticalparallel relation for a ldistance and thereupon extend horizontally as indicated at -2 and 2' for a distance inparallel relation and the pipe 2' is thereupon deflectedcin-the 'directionof the pipe 2' to join thesame, so that both :of these pipes mayieed a singledischarge pipe 3, shown as extending over the Wall :4 of a drydock land downw-ardlywto an appreciable distance exteriorl-y of -said'wall. Thepipes 1,1 1, 2 and 2' thus constitute are secured upright boxes I and I.

haust pipe 3. Between the parallel portions 2 and 2 of the twin inlet pipes extends a pump cylinder 5. .This pump cylinder is preferably of somewhat less diameter than the portions 2 and 2' of the inlet pipes and intersects these inlet pipes as shown in Figures 3 and '7. Opposite the ends of the cylinder the inlet pipes are provided with openings closed by end plates 6 and 6 secured in place with gaskets, so as to preclude leakage and t the exterior of these end plates Near the bottom of each of these boxes is a directional roll 8, 8' and juxtaposed with each of these rolls the end plates 6, 6 and the boxes 'I, I are perforated for the passage of a cable.

Positioned within the cylinder is a piston 9, shown in detail in Figures 7,8 and 9 and presently described. To the opposite ends of this piston are secured cables I0 and ID. These cables extend through the perforations in the end plates 6 and 6', thence pass around the directional rolls 8 and 8' and thence extend upwardly through the tops of the boxes I and I and are secured to equalizers I I and II To these equalizers are secured the ends of two cables I2 and I3 which pass over directional rollers I4 and between these rollers, these cables are secured to anchorages I5 attached to sprocket chains I6. These sprocket chains I6 are passed about spaced sprockets I1 and are adapted to be driven through a drive gear I8 which is, in turn, drivenby a pinion I9 from any suitable prime mover.

The directional rollers I4 are shown below the sprockets II although they maybe positioned at any points desired depending on conditions. The parts are so arranged that, as the sprocket chains I5 travel, they carry the anchorages I5 as described, liquid will be drawn from the pool P alternately through the inlet valves 20 and 20' and alternately discharged through the valves 2I and 2 I and through the common discharge pipe 3.

A pronounced advantage with this type of drive for the piston is that the stroke of the piston can be very long because the sprockets II can be spaced apart at any convenient distance and it is this spacing of the sprockets that controls the throw of the piston. As the piston travels back and forth, it draws in a large charge in moving in one direction, While it is ejecting a large charge, and vice versa, so that by this double action operation a substantially constant flow of liquid is fed to and through the discharge pipe 3. It will of course be understood that the inlet and outlet valves, 20, 20 and 2I and 2| function to permit passage of liquid in the direction of discharge and automatically close to prevent any retrograde flow of the liquid.

The valves may differ in type,- but one satisfactory type of valve is illustrated in Figure 2.

Its pivot 22 floats within a socket 23, while the valve is set on a 45 degree seat 24, so that it functions as a check valve to allow the passage of liquid in only one direction. A manually operable valve opening member 25 may extend into accessible position to open the valve by hand when I desired to permit retrograde flow of the liquid, as when it is desired to drain the system or to facilitate the use of the system as a siphon. All the valves referred to are of the same type of quick opening valve set into pipes 2 and 2' which are of a larger diameter than the pipes I, I or 3, so as not to impede the flow of liquid and to permit slight opening of the valve to pass liquid in large volume.

In operating this system, it is possible that the pipes I, I, 2 and 2 be completely submerged in the pool P. In this case the boxes I and I may be omitted, as shown in Figure 10, because leakage of water through the opening in the end plates 6, 6, will not interfere with the proper syphoning operation of the system if these openings are submerged. However, when the major portion of the system is operated above the surface of the pool as in Figure 1, the use of the boxes I and I is preferred to eliminate this leakage, particularly if the advantages of the use of the system as a syphon is desired, for by these boxes the leakage of air with consequent breaking of the suction or separation of the syphon column is precluded.

- When the system is operating as a syphon, as will be presently described, the top of the box is sealed as shown in Figure 3. In order to permit of this sealing, each of the cables I0 and ID has incorporated therein an elongated cylindrical portion 26, which, when the piston is midway of its stroke, projects partially into and partially above the top of each box. When in this position, a sealing block 21 resting on a gasket 28 on the top of the box is adapted to closely surround the enlargement 26 of the cable. This block 21 carries a packing 29 and an adjusting packing gland 30 is adapted to be forced down on the packing to form a tight joint and hermetically seal the top end of the box I. However, when the pump is to function as a pump the block 21 and gland 30 are adapted to be released and lifted up above the top of the enlargement 2B and held in this position by means of a clamp 32 clamped around the cable III, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3. The plan view of this clamp is shown in Figure 4.

Near the top of the box is an outlet 33 controlled by a valve 34 and leading back to the pool P. This is an-overflow or level regulating outlet, so that the box may be normally kept filled with liquid up to this point. Also near the top of the box a pipe 35 leads to the delivery pipe 3,-so that liquid can flow from the pipe 3 into the box I, as hereinafter described. This flow of liquid is controlled by a float valve 36, the details of which are shown in Figures 5 and 6. In these views, the valve itself bears the reference character 36, while its controlling float is designated 31. The float is shaped to fit about the enlargement 26 on the cable.

When the pump is operating, the valve 36 is normally closed, while the valve 34 is left open. The pump operates to pump water from the pool P over the wall 4 and to discharge it exteriorly of the wall. A valv 38 at the lower end of the outlet pipe is allowed to open by releasing its closing cable 39 and thepump functions as a double action pump to feed water from the pool over the top of the wall. During this normal operation, the box I, as well as the companion box I at the other end of the cylinder, are unsealed at their tops and water which leaks into 'the bottom of the box through the relatively small opening around the cable will tend to'fill up the macs-me boxswhile water flow zback .throughrthe i35'jiOf-a11gnient ithis :supplyE-until {the box ifillsup .sufliciently .so. that. @the fioat ,ivalve (36 .will. -:.clos e zitioff. "The liquid isskept zfromoverfiowingsfrom the. top .ofithe .abox :byJits' passage. through @the zov'erflowii.

- Now in the .eventflthat the outlet Jet-si ent vsplump. isilonger than the :inlet leg, :it :is possible, whenathesystemis filled; to. employ it'as asyphon. ,"Lhis' :isaccomplished in the following .manner. EI-hezpis'ton isbrought to :restimidwayof the length of the .cylinder. "The tops ;f the boxes. 1-: and J1 are .sealedzas shown in iE'igure 3. .The'valve-Mis closed; so that:air cannotigetintothesystem and the valve :operatingymembers '25 are manual ly operated to ropen'cthexvalves. 20, "20, .-2| and 216.

This will permit an "unobstructedflow .Of water :from pool -P, ithrough the-.closedvsyphon rover the top of the wall --4 ':to lthe soutside .=there'of ,.unti1 .the

pool P nbeen-exhaustedaor, until the: level outside. of the wall isubstantiaflyzequals .the levelwof.

inner peripheries :of these tubes are --:seated ,in annular saddles m while {the ;outer,;peripheries aofthetubes bear :against resilient packing rings 50. .I'otpermitof ,infi'ationioi the tubes 4B,;the

. nipples are: connectedlto. a- ,common inflation :pipe

5| which extends through. the end plate 6 and :at the-exterior of. which is positioned .a valve inflation nipple '52, so that zthe :pnsumatie tubes can be pumped-up from :the exterior ;-.of the apparatus. pl'lheinfiatio'n pipe 5| is vlong-enoughto 'permit1of:.the fullqstroke of {the piston without placing a strain on the/pipe andflit. ispassed at intervals through rings 53 supported on. the .-cable 10f, soythat, --.as "the piston moves .to ithe left in. Figure :7, the inflation gpipe; j-will- -drape itselixinto loops. The-inflation pipe is preferably secured .to the wings :to maintain proper spacings .By thus keeping the tubes '48 inflated,

the, packings ;50 will be; forced resiliently vagainst the cylinder wall to have a'nice sliding iitthere- Withwithout undueileakage.

the pool 'P. 'Intthe flatter case the syphon' will discontinue as these 'levelsiapproach one another .and the .pump 'must' be zstarted up if further Water is'to be .pumped from thepool over the ,wall.

.A very important .practical feature of the present-invention is that close tolerances or nice I .The pistonxzis :of the duajhtype with two pack- :ingyrings and ltWO pneumatic-tubes.

he two centralplates 43 'andM -,are;.spaced :apartto .provide .a lubricatingispace between-them and I-lubricant .can :befedto this space-through ,a

.lubricating pipe .54-- which'leads through the end fitting is 'notrequired. -,Slight.leak ages herezand there arevnotimportant for the volume .of .the liquid handled will not. be seriously affected by .-such leakages. factit is .possible to. .buildf up practically the whole piping :system :by. welding Ltogether metal tubing. The only fairly smooth operation-that is required is the interior of. the cylinder wall which .should' be :smooth and fairly .true.. The otherparts of; the piping ,may .be rough tubing, andby welding it together as described an assembly of :relativelylargetubing .for 1a pump'of, large capacity will weigh .cor'npara- .tively little and can be handled conveniently. ;It can beswung into .place"by.a crane or it can form a permanent assemblage on a tug, :lighter. or other vessel, :or from a permanent adjunct to a drydock dam or' other installation, where the transportation .of the liquid is-required. .The drive mechanism may be mounted, if desired, some distance from the-tubular portions of the system and .the cables land It} may iaberquite long .and may be led-around directional :ro'lls to the piston. .It is of course possible to connect :theopposite .ends of the cables l0 a d will .directlyato one .of the .sprocket chains 16 et :;chain,- but I have shown a dual drive with equalizers, so, as to eliminate undue torque-on the shaftsuon which the drive sprockets are .mounted., This, however, ls optional. :InIanlargecapacity pump of the kind .described, the piston will be ,quite-large andcas "it works inizthe horizontal cylinder 5, it'would, -under normal conditions, tend to produce; excess zwear on the lower, portion of the cylinder and packing. -For this reason, I preferably provide rollers 4:13 on which the cylinder can ,ride (and thus eliminate undue .wear. Thepistontconstruction is shown. best in Figures 37, v8 and 9.

' :I-Iere said 'pistonis shown as built -up of from :.four:d;isks;4l,1 aand u spaced apartby vyspacersf 4-5 and, clamped together .a-gainstjthe spacers .by a-.core,spindle 4E, one end .of .which is threaded to receive a nut 41 by which the clamping action zis produced. Between the outer spacers 45 and the wall of the cylinder are positioned circular pneumatic tubes 48 similar to the inner tube of an automobile tire; The

plate 6 'in the same manner as .describedwith reference to the inflation .pipe... !I" h:e ;lubricating pipe :514'is alsowsupported by rings 55, to-,.l o.op..as shown.

Thus air mayv .fedtothe pistonnzubes fromv .one sid'e of theusystem while; lubricantfmay be I fed'to"the'zpiston fromthe other side, bothywithout stopping z-zthe'zapparatus. "or dismantling; any

partthereof.

. While the lubricant :is. being mainly intro.-

-duced "into .the lubricating chamber through the lubricating-pipe, residualair .in said chamber v and thus drive these cables from only one ;sprockshould .be vented. For .this :purpose {IgDIOVidB a vent valve .56 located centrally 0f the .length of the cylinder and iifcthe'pistonis brought :into registration with this valveslubricant :can then be introduced into the lubricating chamber :be-

tween the rings until the :chamber isv filledwhile "residual air in said chamber .will be exhausted throughrthe .vent 5.6. .After;the chamber is filled, the ventvalve.56isclosed. f v

Directly below the 'ventpvalve :56 is a-drain 'valve '51 so that when desired the pistonrnayzhe brought into ire'gistration therewithand the valve .51. opened so that the lubricantin the lubricating-chamber maybe drawn off. x

.The rollers .40 to which I have referred may be in :any desired number, but three are shown as illustrative. They are mounted on the disks Y 4.! and Handserve to carry the weightof the piston -so-that such weight is not carried by the packing rings .as is generally the case .in

horizontal pumps.

It will be noted from gure l thatat the ub- {permost part of the outlet pip .3 .a vent valve ,.j58,is provided and air can be allowedcto escape from the pipe 3 through this .valve. .In prac- .tice, the method of operating this valve is as follows; The operation creme pump gis started while the valve 38 .at the outlet end .[ofthe ,pipe 3 is kept closed while the valve58 is'.opened anii this conditionexists until the .entire] outlet pipe -3 is filled and until water starts to come through ethe vent valve -58. Q'I'he operator then, knows that the outlet pipe 13,.is completely 'filled. He then closes the valve 58 while he operates the control line 39 to open the valve 38 and from then on the liquid flows through the pipe 3Yin an uninterrupted stream and without air pockets therein, so that in the event it be later desired to operate the system asa siphon there will be no air pockets in the system which would preclude its proper functioning in this connection.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown two inlet pipes I and I and a single outlet pipe 3. In practice it is entirely practical to connect the pipes I and I together at their lower ends to form a, single inlet pipe. This and other changes can be made without departing from this invention.

' The foregoing detailed description sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms, but the invention is to be understood as fully commensurate with the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

l. A system of the character described comprising a pair of inlet'pipes spaced apart and connected to a common exhaust pipe, said pipes constituting inlet and exhaust legs of the system,

a cylinder extending "between the spaced inlet pipes and having therein a piston, cables secured to the opposite ends of the piston and which cables are also secured to power operated means to alternately take up on each cable as the other cable is played out for the purpose of reciprocating the piston in said cylinder, inlet and discharge valves positioned in the inlet pipes to supply liquid to the cylinder and to discharge the liquid from the cylinder, said cables passing through liquid traps beyond the opp e d of the cylinder to seal the system against the entrance of air, whereby the system may be used to syphon water when the descending liquid column in the exhaust leg is longer than the as cending liquid column in the inlet leg, and means for holding said inlet and exhaust valves unseated during such water siphoning.

2. A system of the character described comprising a pair of inlet pipes spaced apart and connected to a common exhaust pipe, said pipes constituting inlet and exhaust legs of the system, a cylinder extending between the spaced inlet pipes and having therein a piston, cables secured to the opposite ends of the piston and which cables are also secured to power operated means to alternately take up on each cable as the other cable is played out for the purpose of reciprocating the piston in said cylinder, inlet and discharge valves positioned in the inlet pipes to supply liquid to the cylinder and to discharge the liquid from the cylinder, said cables passing through liquid traps beyond the opposite ends of the cylinder to seal the system against the entrance of air, whereby the system may be used to syphon water when the descending liquid column in the exhaust leg is longer than the ascending liquid column in the inlet leg, means for holding said inlet and exhaust valves unseated during such water siphoning, and a liquid feeding duct extending from the pressure side of the system to the liquid traps to maintain the liquid in said traps at a substantially uniform level. i

3. A system of the character described comprising a horizontal cylinder, a pair of inlet pipes leading from a pool of liquid adapted to be pumped to the opposite. ends of said cylinder, a pair of outlet pipes leading from the opposite ends of the cylinder to and uniting to form a common outlet pipe, a piston in said cylinder, directional rollers positioned adjacent the ends of said cylinder and exteriorly of the pipes with which the cylinder joins, cables secured to the opposite ends of said piston and extending to and about said directional rollers and thence to power operated means to alternately take up on each cable as the other cable is played out to impart reciprocation to the piston, inlet valves in said inlet pipes, outlet valves in said outlet pipes, and liquid trap boxes enclosing said directional rollers and extending upwardly to provide space therein for liquid traps to form liquid seals to the system where the cables pass from the cylinder to the directional rollers, and means for maintaining a substantially uniform liquid level in the liquid trap boxes.

4. A system of the character described comprising a horizontal cylinder, a pair of inlet pipes leading from a pool of liquid adapted to be pumped to the opposite ends of said cylinder, a pair of outlet pipes leading from the opposite ends of the cylinder to and uniting to form a common outlet pipe, said inlet and outlet pipes constituting inlet and outlet legs of the system, a piston in said cylinder, directional rollers positioned adjacent the ends of said cylinder and exteriorly of the pipes with which the cylinder joins, cables secured to the opposite ends of said piston and extending to and about said directional rollers and thence to power operated means to alternately take up on each cable as the other cable is played out to impart reciprocation to the piston, inletvalves in said inlet pipes, outlet valves in said outlet pipes, liquid trap boxes enclosing said directional rollers and extending upwardly to provide space therein for liquid traps to form liquid seals to the system where the cables pass from the cylinder to the directional rollers, means for maintaining a substantially uniform liquid level in the liquid trap boxes, the upper ends of the liquid trap boxes being normall open when the piston is in operation, means for sealing the upper ends of said liquid trap boxes about the cables to permit the system to operate to siphon liquid when the descending liquid column in the outlet leg is longer than the ascending liquid column in the inlet leg of the system, and means for holding said inlet and exhaust valves unseated during such water siphoning.

5. A siphon system comprising a siphon tube having an ascending inlet leg connected at its upper end to thenpper end of a descending outlet leg at the apex of the siphon tube, a pump connected to said inlet leg to pump liquid into the siphon tube to fill the same, sealing means to seal the lower end of the outlet leg until both legs are filled with liquid through operation of the pump, with means at the apex of the siphon tube to vent said tube to the atmosphere and cause residual air in the siphon tube to be exhausted to the atmosphere as said tube is filled with liquid by the pump, and means for bypassing the pump When the siphon tube is thus filled, whereby the system maythen operate as a siphon system upon operation of said sealing means to unseal the lower end of said outlet leg.

PATRICK GAVIN. 

